May 9, 2005	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 29, 1426

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LAHORE, May 8: Bob Woolmer, Pakistan cricket coach, refused to predict the outcome of the forthcoming series against the West Indies. Woolmer, who joined the national training camp at Qadhafi Stadium on Sunday said: “I always avoid predicting results but what I can say is that the chances are 50-50.”

He said the pitches in the West Indies looked flat and the bowlers would have to do more hard work.

Asked that over the years pace attacks had played a significant role in victory on the Caribbean soil and that Pakistan now lacked the firepower in this department with the absence of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami, Woolmer said his side had good bowlers and they had proved it in India.

“We have achieved good results in India with this bowling and the bowlers are improving so I hope they will maintain their performance,” he said.

Speedster Shoaib was dropped without being given a chance to prove his match-fitness while Sami underwent a heel surgery.

Asked about the exclusion of Shoaib Akhtar and the highly speculated comeback of Moin Khan, Woolmer said that those matters were related to the selection committee and he would not like to comment.

“I am happy with the selected team, as is the captain Inzamam and that is most important,” he said.

The coach denied that he had made any derogatory remarks against Shoaib which was published in an Indian daily.

“What I said was Shoaib could make a comeback in the team on showing match-fitness,” he said.

To a question if the boys would show consistency in the West Indies tour in which they had been lacking in the past, the coach remarked that the team showed improvement after returning from Australia and maintained it in India and hopefully they would continue it with a fighting spirit.

Meanwhile, the team’s itinerary has been changed and now it will depart from Karachi on Wednesday morning instead of Islamabad.